Obama: US 'Helped' With French Operation

Locals are confirming that at least eight civilians were killed in the botched French raid on the Somali town of Bulo Marer, including two women and two children. The raid was aimed at rescuing a French spy named Denis Allex.

French officials say they believe Allex has probably been executed by his captors since the failed raid, but al-Shabaab denied this, saying Allex was still in their custody and that they also captured a French soldier in the attack.

Despite the raid ending in a disastrous failure with a significant civilian death-toll, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian defended the decision to attack, saying that it was “completely unrealistic” to try to negotiate for Allex’s release.

And while one would figure this would be the sort of fiasco people would be ducking for cover to avoid accountability for, President Obama insisted the US “helped” with France’s attack, deploying warplanes into Somali airspace to “support the rescue operation.”

36480One Responsehttp%3A%2F%2Fnews.antiwar.com%2F2013%2F01%2F13%2Feight-civilians-killed-in-botched-french-raid-on-somalia%2FEight+Civilians+Killed+in+Botched+French+Raid+on+Somalia2013-01-14+01%3A19%3A43Jason+Ditzhttp%3A%2F%2Fnews.antiwar.com%2F%3Fp%3D36480 to “Eight Civilians Killed in Botched French Raid on Somalia”